Greater Manchester's Chief Constable has drafted proposals to recruit 200 new staff to help free up uniformed officers from administrative duties.

The plans come during the force's phased shedding of 3,000 posts or 23% of its workforce by 2015 to help save £134m after its annual budget was cut. Peter Fahy said the proposals were drawn up in response to public comments made at a series of town hall meetings. The police authority will discuss the plans at a meeting later.

'Cost-effective'
If approved by the authority, the posts will be made up of 100 civilian workers, 60 Police Community Support Officers and 40 investigative assistants.

Mr Fahy said: "These proposals are at the discussion stage and are dependent on the outcome of some other issues which will affect the amount of money available. Our long term aim has always been to move more of the force's effort into direct service to the public and to remove administrative work away from officers. The creation of new posts to directly support operational officers is the most cost-effective way to try and maintain the service to the public and the pressure on the criminal during the coming months of further budget reductions. At our recent series of town hall meetings the public told us that they saw reducing paperwork for officers as a top priority for any additional funding which might become available."

Savings of £52m have been made over the last 12 months resulting in the loss of 750 civilian and 309 officer posts, so far.